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These pilot results indicate that Hemospray is safe in humans. Hemospray was effective in achieving acute hemostasis in active peptic ulcer bleeding.

SUMMARY BackgroundConfocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is rapidly emerging as a valuable tool for gastrointestinal endoscopic imaging. Fluorescent contrast agents are used to optimize imaging with CLE, and intravenous fluorescein is the most widely used contrast agent. Fluorescein is FDA-cleared for diagnostic angiography of the retina. For these indications, the safety profile of fluorescein has been well-documented; however, to date, fluorescein is not cleared for use with CLE.

EGBD and PTBD are comparably effective techniques for treatment of distal malignant biliary obstruction after failed ERCP. However, EGBD is associated with decreased adverse events rate and is significantly less costly due to the need for fewer reinterventions. Our results suggest that EGBD should be the technique of choice for treatment of these patients at institutions with experienced interventional endosonographers.

Purpose: Each year in the United States, ϳ 30,000 people die from pancreatic cancer. Fewer than 5% of patients survive >5 years after diagnosis, because most patients present with advanced disease. Early diagnosis may improve the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.Experimental Design: In an attempt to improve on current approaches to the serological diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, we analyzed serum samples from patients with and without pancreatic cancer using surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization (SELDI) protein chip mass spectrometry. Using a case-control study design, serum samples from 60 patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma were compared with samples from 60 age-and sex-matched patients with nonmalignant pancreatic diseases, as well as 60 age-and sex-matched healthy controls. To increase the number of proteins potentially identifiable, serum was fractionated using anion exchange and profiled on two ProteinChip surfaces (metal affinity capture and weak cation exchange).Results: We determined a minimum set of protein peaks able to discriminate between patient groups and used the unified maximum separability algorithm to compare the performance of the individual marker panels alone or in conjunction with CA19 -9. Among the peaks identified by SELDI profiling that had the ability to distinguish between patient groups, the 2 most discriminating protein peaks could differentiate patients with pancreatic cancer from healthy controls with a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 97%. These 2 markers performed significantly better than the current standard serum marker, CA19 -9 (P < 0.05).The diagnostic accuracy of the 2 markers was improved by using them in combination with CA 19 -9. Similarly, a combination of 3 SELDI markers and CA19 -9 was superior to CA19 -9 alone in distinguishing individuals with pancreatic cancer from the combined pancreatic disease controls and healthy subject groups (P ‫؍‬ 0.078). SELDI markers were also better than CA19 -9 in distinguishing patients with pancreatic cancer from those with pancreatitis.Conclusion: SELDI profiling of serum can be used to accurately differentiate patients with pancreatic cancer from those with other pancreatic diseases and from healthy controls.

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ES is associated with fewer complications, shorter LOHS, but higher reintervention rates and overall charges.

Clinician-educator faculty were less likely to be at higher rank at this institution than were faculty in research paths. Differences in rank may be explained by lower rank at hire for faculty in these career paths, time available for scholarly activities, or other resources available to support scholarship. Retaining clinician-educators will require further exploration of barriers to promotion inherent to these career paths and methods of modifying these barriers.